• Robert Wise so often worked in genre cinema that it seems a bit jarring to see him working in a straight drama.
  • I Want to Live! Is a seminal capital punishment film (others would include Dead Man Walking -1995, maybe Monster-2003 is a cousin as they are both about women). “You are about to see a factual story”- the story of Barbara Graham.
  • This is Susan Hayward’s greatest work. She quietly had five nominations in twelve years from 1947 to 1958 (culminating and winning for this). The writer of her stories portrayed in the film is Simon Oakland (would go on to work with Wise in West Wide Story – 1961).
  • Wise opens the film brilliantly: a canted angle montage as he introduces us to Graham’s world of drinking, jazz music and drug use. Johnny Mandel’s big and bold jazz score accompanies what appears to almost be an expose on loose living- this is the strongest sequence in the film.
  • The film is gritty—there is a nod to both realism and melodrama as Graham takes two punches in the first 30 minutes.
  • It is a fantastic role for any actress. Graham is a bit of a jester; she has a trademark schtick where she pretends to throw craps-she’s screaming in prison- just a juicy role.
  • The film does make a bit of an editorial/political choice on the side of Graham but not showing the heinous crime unlike Dead Man Walking and Monster (this is also likely because of the difference in censorship in 1958).
  • Graham’s painstaking, desperate hours on death row are captured. The film revels in the full 120-minute running time in an effective way.
  • Unlike Wise’s 1960s work, there are half-hour stretches between laudable displays of film style or impressive compositions (especially after that jazz club opening).
  • At the 117-minute mark, Graham is in the chamber with gawkers and onlookers outside of the glass- this is a strong frame.
  • Recommend / Highly Recommend border